


With A Little Help From My Friends

by maktub



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Masturbation, Mutual Masturbation, Not to be taken seriously, no cashmere's were hurt in the making of this story, orgasm frustration, very self-serving practically pwp please proceed with this knowledge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-14
Updated: 2014-08-04
Packaged: 2018-02-08 19:23:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 19,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1953156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maktub/pseuds/maktub
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One drunken confession leads Katniss on a path of self-discovery. Only, she needs a little help along the way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“You think I should buy what?”

 

Katniss struggled to keep her voice low lest she get kicked out the library for noise complaints  _again_.

 

Madge merely cocked her perfect little head and repeated herself:

 

“I’ve been thinking about your little  _problem_ ,” she cupped her hand around her mouth as though  _this_ was the most embarrassing part of her statement, “And I think you should buy a vibrating bullet.”

 

Despite the absolute sincerity of the offer, Katniss found laughter bubbling out of her – much to the chagrin of those studying around her.

 

She blushed and ducked behind her thick botany textbook.

 

“And what makes you think that would fix…” she stumbled over the words thinking of any better way to phrase it, “things.”

 

Madge brightened at this, as though she’d been hoping for this question all along.

 

“Because when I used it, I came so hard I almost passed out.”

 

“Jesus Christ, Madge. Too much information!” She pressed a hand to her forehead, desperately wishing for this conversation to disappear from her memory forever.

 

A week ago they’d been playing a drunken game of Never Have I Ever and Katniss had thought herself so  _fucking_ clever when she announced “Never have I ever had an orgasm!”

 

Having hoped for the chance to get everyone else drinking she instead had all her girlfriends gaping wide-eyed at her and shouting declarations of disbelief.

 

She’d been regretting it ever since.

 

Johanna had been sending her lewd images via text as ‘inspiration’. ( _You got this, brainless!!!_ )

 

Annie had been showering her with ‘calming thought exercises’ because it was definitely apsychological problem.

 

And now Madge was harassing her in the middle of the library with recommendations for sex toys.

 

Katniss couldn’t catch a damn break.

 

But later that night she clicked through the link Madge sent her on Facebook and, figuring she had nothing to lose, placed an order.

 

\--

 

Ten business days later Madge was smirking at her from the kitchen when she arrived home from lectures.

 

“There’s a package for you,” well that explained the smirk, “I put in on your bed! Enjoy!”

 

Throwing a dirty look her flatmate’s way, Katniss stormed off to her room.

 

They lived in a three-bedroom apartment about ten minutes walk from campus. Back in first year she’d been roomed with Madge and after sidestepping around each other for a few months they finally realised they actually got on pretty well.

 

In second year Madge had taken an art class and met Peeta Mellark. They’d sort of attempted dating but after two weeks of it figured out they’d much rather be friends, so when Katniss and Madge were looking for a third body to fill their ideal apartment, they were pretty okay with it when he stepped up to fill the position.

 

Now they were all at the beginning of their fourth and final year of their undergraduate degree.

 

At first Katniss had been outrageously shy around Peeta. Every time he caught her sneaking between their one shower and her bedroom in a towel she’d blush beet red and hide in her room until she’d heard him leave.

 

But he was a hard man to dislike. And as much as Katniss had wanted to try, they'd eventually fallen into friendship in much the same way as with her original roommate.

 

It was hard not to like him with his golden curls, mega watt smile and a tendency to find the humour in every situation.

 

Even that mortifying time he’d opened the door to find Katniss returning from a date, standing at the doorstep with a guy who was seriously attempting to make out with her chin.

 

But he never made her feel like she was being ridiculed. As someone who took personal offense to most things, she figured that was a pretty impressive quality to have.

 

There had been many nights with the three of them lounging in the living room, watching crappy movies and eating Peeta’s _homemade_  pizza.

 

In all seriousness, those were her favourites.

 

And not just because Peeta's baked goods were worthy of the gods (don’t get her started on his cheese buns).

 

Katniss darted into her bedroom before Madge could make any further comments and stared at the small, indistinguishable box that sat in the middle.

 

She felt her breath hitch and clutched at her chest, heart racing.

 

Maybe she didn’t really need it.

 

Maybe she should try just  _one more time_  without it. Not that that approach had worked in twenty-two years of life but maybe today would be different.

 

What if Peeta heard.

 

He was almost always dating someone and more often than not Katniss heard  _noises_  from across the wall that separated their bedrooms. Noises she’d rather not think about. Noises that went something like  _Yes, Peeta! Yes! Right there! Oh fuck your cock is so –_

 

Stop!

 

She really didn’t want to think about it.

 

And what if she came because of this stupid bullet thing and she made  _noises_  and he heard?

 

She could just imagine it. Peeta knocking on her door in worry  _“Sounds like a cat’s dying in there, everything all right?”_

 

Oh lord she couldn’t do this.

 

\--

 

Okay, she could do this.

 

Peeta was out on a date.

 

Madge was spending the night at Gale’s.

 

And after four solid nights of staring at the box as she tossed and turned in bed, Katniss had decided that she’d already spent the money so she may as well put it to use.

 

It was a Friday. For dinner she’d made pasta and gulped down a big glass of red wine – so big her brain was still feeling that pleasant fuzz. She’d showered and shaved and moisturised until her skin was silken smooth. The soothing refrain of her favourite song filled the room.

 

She could totally do this.

 

Pulling the silver bullet from the package she weighed the object in her palm. It was much smaller than she’d imagined. Pressing the button of the controller she jumped as the thing came alive in her hand.

 

Switching it off she laid it by her pillow.

 

Better to get started the old fashioned way, right?

 

Dropping her towel, Katniss lay back on the pillows. All her life she’d had to share a bed with Prim but in this room she had a double bed to herself. It felt positively luxurious.

 

Tracing the lines of her body with her fingertips, she shuddered as she passed over her nipples. In the cool air of the room they were already rigid and craving attention.

 

She tweaked them hard between her fingertips and gasped as the sensation spiked her heart rate.

 

Pinching harder still she bit her lip, letting out a low moan.

 

With one hand staying at her breasts, the other traced the flat line of her stomach to the trimmed thatch of hair below.

 

Her thighs had always been very sensitive so Katniss bypassed the place she wanted to be touched most and traced patterns in her olive skin.

 

Wet heat pooled at her centre.

 

In her mind’s eye she imagined random shirtless men, some celebrity she had a bit of a crush on. She imagined their fingers gripping her thighs, their palms cupping and pinching her breasts.

 

Moaning she drew one finger to her entrance, collecting some of the wetness to lubricate her movements.  

 

Tracing the line of her slit she brought her other hand down to hold her lips open, exposing her clit to the air around her.

 

Oh. Yes.

 

Her wet finger swirled around the nub, slow at first and then faster. A second finger joined increasing the pressure and she gasped as pleasure sparked across her body.

 

Rubbing furiously, Katniss felt that all too familiar build up, the one that always plateaued before she could get  _there_. (Wherever the fuck  _there_  was.)

 

She paused. Chest heaving. Sweat slicking her skin.

 

Turning she grabbed for the little bullet and switched it on.

 

Biting her lip she placed it by her swollen clit and gasped at the intensity of the vibrations. Holy fuck.

 

With one hand she circled it around her clit, steadily increasing the pressure as she got used to the feeling. With the other she returned to her breasts, plucking at her nipples and crying out at the feeling.

 

Her blood pumped furiously, she could feel her heart pounding at her rib cage. Her nerves were alight with feeling and she felt it building and building and building and…

  
Nothing.  
 

  
“Jesus Fucking Christ!”

 

“Holy shit Katniss are you – ”

 

Whatever Peeta Mellark was about to say was cut short.

 

She was naked. And sweaty. In bed. Holding a vibrator.

 

“Um.”

 

Eyes wild, she held up the stupid vibrator with one hand.

 

“Madge promised me! She promised me this would work!”

 

Whatever embarrassment Katniss probably should have felt was completely overshadowed by the sheer frustration of another failed attempt at orgasm.

 

Peeta pushed his hand through his hair.

 

“Work for what?” His voice was strained, cautious.

 

At this, Katniss blushed. She was close with Peeta after a year of living together but this felt like maybe it was over share.

 

Looking down at her naked body though, she realised she was probably already past that.

 

“Help me achieve, um, orgasm.”

 

Peeta’s dropped jaw had embarrassment pricking her skin all the way to the tips of her ears.

 

“Never?”

 

“Well, obviously! I know you and Madge have never had this problem, what with your perfect sex lives but it’s not that easy for some people!”

 

Katniss crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the floor. She could see his fists clenching and unclenching by his sides, one foot tapping on the carpet as though he was debating his next move.

 

“Do you want some help?”

 

She looked up, shock written on her expression. Peeta at least had the decency to look a little sheepish.

 

“I won’t touch you, or anything, but uh…” his smile did that cute shy thing she’d only ever seen a couple of times, “As you said, I’ve never had this problem and maybe I could see what you’re doing wrong and give um… pointers.”

 

His voice cracked on the last word but he still shut the door behind him and took two steps further into the room.

 

Katniss’ clit was still throbbing, her body was humming and if there were only one guy she trusted on this planet, it would probably be Peeta.

 

So, much to her own surprise, she nodded and layback down on the bed.

 

He walked towards her, gesturing at the spot on the bed beside her, “Do you mind if I…?”

 

At her nod, she felt the mattress dip, Peeta perching by her hip. His pupils were a little dilated but he kept his gaze on her face.

 

“What about your girlfriend?”

 

His eyebrows raised in remembrance, “Cashmere? She’s not my girlfriend. We’re just seeing each other.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“She’d understand. And anyway, just think of this as a, um, tutoring session.”

 

Her brow furrowed but she mumbled an “Okay.”

 

Biting her lip she waited for her first instruction. 

 

“Just start how you normally do.”

 

Peeta’s eyes were so blue and his smile so sweet, but she had to close her eyes to have any semblance of concentration.

 

She started like before: teasing softly, slowly, grazing her nipples. Quiet pants escaped her and in the background she swore she could hear Peeta’s breaths quickening.

 

Strung taught as she was, Katniss skipped most of the preamble.

 

With desperate fingers she circled her clit, crying out at its sensitivity.

 

“Put it inside you.” His voice was gruff.

 

“Wha- what?” she managed through breathy pants.

 

“Put the bullet inside you while you play with yourself.”

 

Nodding furiously she scrambled for the bullet pushing it inside her and switching it back on.

 

“Oh my god.”

 

Pleasure came from within and without and her mind was reeling. It had never felt this good.

 

“Now switch. Finger yourself while it stimulates your clitoris.”

 

Clitoris. The word was so clinical.

 

Through hooded eyes she looked up at Peeta. His gaze was fixed on her fingers as they moved to remove the bullet. 

 

Her fingers were so slick she could slide two straight inside. Her walls clenched and relaxed around them.

 

“Move them.”

 

The angle was awkward so she bent her knees, hunching slightly to thrust her fingers in and out.

 

“I’m going to move between your legs,” the loss of heat by her hip had her whining, “Better view.”

 

Better view indeed.

 

From his position between her parted thighs, Katniss could see his fat black pupils as they followed the lines of her body and the movement of her fingers, could see the bulge in his jeans that he tried to cover with a casually placed forearm.

 

“Use the bullet again.”

 

With her other hand she reached for the still vibrating bullet on the bedspread and circled her clit with it, like she had with her fingers.

 

She felt her body searching, reaching, pining for something, something _more._ Tears pooled in the corners of her eyes and teeth clenched in near agony of its closeness.

 

“Would it be okay if I tried something?” Peeta’s voice was almost desperate.

 

“I can see you’re close but the angle’s not quite…”

 

Katniss just nodded her head furiously, frustration and pleasure warring inside of her.

 

With steady hands he took the bullet from her. But he was so, so careful not to touch her skin.

 

He leant down, pressing the bullet hard down on her clit and Katniss screamed.

 

“Keep thrusting your fingers.”

 

Anything. Anything he’d said she would have done in that moment.

 

But he just sat there with a determined expression on his face, seemingly as desperate for her release as she was.

 

The sight of his head between her thighs, the feel of her fingers and the intense vibrations of bullet raining down on her clit had Katniss making noises of which she didn’t know she was capable.

 

She was hurtling forward into the unknown.

 

Peeta let out a low breath. Probably accidental but it moved across her clit in such a way that she was crying out and her hands couldn’t function and pleasure pricked at her skin and her thighs trembled and she couldn’t breathe she could hardly breathe and – Oh.

 

O. 


	2. Chapter 2

Katniss studied herself in the mirror while she towelled off her hair. With the way the girls had carried on about it she’d expected to emerge that morning a new woman. But she didn’t look any different.

 

Well, except for the shit-eating grin that now seemed permanently stuck on her face.

 

Stop it.

 

She frowned. The corners of lips tilted upwards. Madge would know in an instant.

 

Though really she only had to think of Peeta to get the smile to go away. Last night after he’d sat back proudly and shouted his congratulations, she wasn’t quite sure what to do with herself.

 

It was just a tutoring session. So should she pay him? No, that was probably equivalent to prostitution. Her chest was still heaving as she sat up, limbs feeling like jelly.

 

She couldn’t help but smile at the gleeful look on his face (and maybe because of the oxytocin coursing through her veins).

 

She’d leant over and kissed him on the cheek, whispering a quiet “Thanks, Peeta” before heading off to the shower, naked as the day she was born.

 

By the time she had cooled down and cleaned up, Peeta was locked away in his room, music playing loudly from his speakers.

 

That was that, she guessed.

 

Peeta was always an early riser so he’d already left the apartment by the time she was awake.

 

It wouldn’t be awkward. She’d make sure it wasn’t awkward. It was only awkward if you made it awkward, and what did Katniss have to feel awkward about? It wasn’t awkward. It was fine. Not awkward.

 

Letting out a deep sigh she looked into the silvery-grey eyes of her reflection.

 

“What if I ruined everything?”

 

The reflection didn’t respond.

 

But really, it was Peeta who walked in on her, who offered to help, who was just about as happy as she was to finally come.

 

It was just tutoring anyway.

 

\--

 

It was a week later and Katniss had a problem. A big one.

 

Peeta had been (unsurprisingly) very cool about the whole thing, merely giving her a quick wink when he got home the next night as she and Madge were watching some crappy chick-flick. He’d slid in next to her spot on the couch and stolen some of her popcorn.

 

See? It was fine.

 

Katniss had smiled back and tucked herself into Madge’s side, complaining as she always did about the movie choice.

 

That night she’d been too exhausted to put ‘Peeta’s lesson’ (as she was now calling it) to use. Same with the next night.

 

But Monday had been frustrating as all hell and thinking of no better way to relax she’d picked up her new best friend to go searching for gold.

 

She couldn’t find it.

 

Tuesday she woke up with a bad mood worthy of naming a hurricane and she’d blown through campus with intent to destroy. If Madge and Peeta noticed they didn’t say anything.

 

She kept trying and trying and fuck it was even more frustrating now that she  _knew_.

 

By Saturday, Katniss kind of just wanted to cry.

 

What was she doing wrong?

 

Maybe her body was broken. 

 

That evening she sulked in her room, determined to avoid the evidence of her failure.

 

A quiet knock at her door startled her out of her gloom.

 

“What do you want?”

 

A stupid blond head poked through her door.

 

“Is everything alright, Katniss? You’ve seemed kind of, um, tense.”

 

If looks could kill, Peeta Mellark would be drawn and quartered.

 

Maybe he was immune to the weight of her glare, because he merely stepped into the room, closing the door behind him.

 

“Is it because of what I did? Last week? Look I’m really sorry if I overstepped my bounds I was just trying to be helpful and – ”

 

He stopped his rambling, pursing his lips and tugging at the unruly strands of his hair.

 

Katniss really, really wanted to be mad. To say Yes and that it was All His Fault.

 

But what actually happened was drooping lips and a hung head, hands fisting at her sides. 

 

“No it’s not you, it’s me.”

 

Peeta came to sit by her spot on the bed, placing a cautious hand on her forearm.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

She bit her lip, unable to meet his eyes.

 

“I’ve tried  _so_  many times since… then, and I can’t get it to work.” The frustration had tears gathering and she swiped at her face in annoyance.

 

“And it’s so much worse, y’know? Now that I’ve felt it.” She looked up, eyes glassy, to meet Peeta’s concerned gaze. His eyebrows were furrowed, lips pursed.

 

“I just don’t know what I’m doing wrong.”

 

Embarrassingly enough, she felt a tear leak out and trace a path down her cheek.

 

Peeta raised a thumb to catch it, “Hey, hey. Don’t cry.”

 

Katniss shook her head, trying to move away from his touch. Sensing her withdrawal he moved in and gathered her in his arms, swiftly pulling her into his lap.

 

She found her head tucked into the crook of his neck and breathed in the soothing scent of Peeta’s body wash.

 

Strong hands circled her back and she felt the frustrations of the week easing away.

 

“Y’know Katniss, how about I make you an offer?”

 

Her ‘What?’ was muffled by the skin of his neck. She felt the soft huff of his laughter by her ear.

 

“I can help you practice anytime I’m home and I’ll keep up these…” he paused for a moment, searching for the right word, “… Lessons until you are one hundred and ten per cent capable of coming any damn time you please. How does that sound?”

 

Katniss pulled away to look at him, eyes flicking between his and finding only honesty.

 

“You’d do that?”

 

There it was, that genuinely sweet smile with just a hint of shyness.

 

“Yeah, I’d do that. Just for you. The Katniss Everdeen Special.”

 

She laughed at the absurdity of it all.

 

Here he was, her closest guy friend offering unlimited, personalised masturbation tips.

 

God, she was such a loser.

 

“Okay, I’ll allow it.”

 

Peeta grinned and she couldn’t help but return it.

 

“So, when do you want to start?”

 

\--

 

Katniss’ moans were masked by the thumping chorus of some rock song she honestly couldn’t name.

 

In fact, in that moment, there were a lot of things she honestly couldn’t name.

 

Peeta had brought her to the brink so many times in the past hour she was sure she was losing her mind.

 

“You fucking tease.” She bit out the words between harsh pants. 

 

He smirked up at her from between her legs. 

 

“One week of orgasms and the girl thinks it’s always going to be that easy.”

 

Moving the bullet from its perch above her clit, he traced figure eights across her breasts.

 

They had quickly discovered that her nipples were hypersensitive to the vibrations. Peeta could have her trembling in no time at all, just by using it on her chest.

 

But right now she couldn’t give a fuck how her nipples felt. There was one place she wanted that bullet to be and she wanted it there now.

 

Well if Peeta wouldn’t do it, she’d have to take matters into her own hands.

 

“Nuh uh little lady, put your hands back where I told you.”

 

She gripped the wood of her headboard and bared her teeth at him.

 

Her pussy was absolutely dripping with want.

 

“This is lesson number two,” he traced patterns in her skin with the bullet, “Sometimes prolonging the inevitable can make it even better.”

 

Up until now their ‘sessions’ had almost always gone the same way: Peeta would sit beside her and dole out instructions, watching intently but not touching. He’d make comments like ‘See how your body reacted to that? Do it again’ and she would and the sounds would fly out of her like they’d been waiting so long to escape.

 

After she’d press that kiss to his cheek and head off to shower, while he would disappear into his room or head off on a date with Cashmere.

 

All business.

 

This lesson felt much more… interactive.

 

Her back arched off the bed, head thrashed, and hair a wild tangle of black on across the mussed sheets.

 

“Peeta, please.” She was almost whimpering.

 

Looking at him through thick lashes, she caught his dilated gaze and held it, mouthing her plea over and over.

 

Peeta licked his lips.

 

“Since you asked so nicely.”

 

With steady movements he moved the bullet back down her body, maintaining eye contact as he went. Oh how she could imagine getting used to the sight of Peeta’s blond floppy waves and teasing grin down there.

 

“I’d ask if you’re ready but I can smell the answer.”

 

Holy fuck.

 

And then the bullet was bearing down on her clit and her body was alight. Flames licked along the underside of her skin, dancing and racing as she sped towards the edge of the tallest cliff. Vision spotted – just blue, blue eyes. Only blue as she plummeted over the edge.

 

 

Katniss was gasping for breath, slumped on the bed a mess of limbs and Peeta bounced down next to her.

 

“See? I told you it’d be worth the wait.”

 

She could just manage a nod in response.

 

Peeta was grinning beside her, hands tucked under his head as he watched her recover.  


This was weird.

 

Usually by now she’d left or he’d left but Katniss couldn’t find it in herself to move and Peeta was acting like the cat that got the cream.

 

“So what are you up to later?”

 

She quirked an eyebrow.

 

“Cashmere’s busy writing some paper last minute so she cancelled our date…”

 

Oh.

 

“So I figured if you weren’t doing anything we could watch that new X-Men film?”

 

If Katniss hadn’t been naked, and Peeta hadn’t just given her the biggest orgasm of her (albeit short) orgasmic history, she wouldn’t have even hesitated. It was just a tutoring session, she had to remind herself, now he was back in friend mode and she guessed she could do it too.

 

“Yeah, I guess, is that the one with the hot Fass-dude?”

 

Pulling a face he asked, “You think Michael Fassbender is hot?”

 

“Um, yeah, obviously.” Katniss shrugged, her breath was still fast but she could feel the flush draining from her skin.

 

“Maybe that’s why you’ve struggled to get off for so long, if that’s who you’re thinking about.”

 

She slapped his shoulder proclaiming “Hey!” and he laughed.

 

“I’m just saying, Katniss, you’re gonna need to find some better material for when you have to go it alone,” the corners of his eyes were crinkled, smile wide.

 

Rolling onto her side to face him properly she caught his gaze and smirked, “Who says I wasn’t thinking about him just now?”

 

The smile on Peeta’s face dropped a little, blue eyes flickered between her own, “Were you?”

 

Hopping out of bed she looked over her shoulder, “I’m gonna hop in the shower, are you going to make pizza for the movie? Or do you wanna order in?”

 

He frowned, “Order in, or else we’ll have to wait ages for the dough to rise. Were you really thinking about Michael Fassbender? I don’t know if I want to watch X-Men any more.”

 

Katniss just laughed and grabbed her towel, wrapping it around herself as she headed for the shower.

 

“That’s not an answer, Katniss!”

 


	3. Chapter 3

“You’ve seemed awfully happy lately,” Madge’s mouth was twisted in a knowing smirk.

 

They were indulging in some mid-week Thai takeout and a marathon of Game of Thrones. Not a show really conducive to gossiping but they managed anyway.

 

“Mmm,” Katniss shrugged in a way that she hoped was nonchalant but knew that her closest female friend would probably see straight through it. She’d never been very good at lying.

 

She sent a side-long glance Madge’s way to see the girl grinning around a mouthful of Pad See Ew.

 

Dropping her bowl of Pad Thai she sighed, “I guess I’d better thank you for that advice about the bullet.”

 

A fit of giggles erupted on the opposite side of the couch and Katniss scowled.

 

“Oh my god, I’m so happy for you! Tell me everything!”

 

Everything.

 

Fiddling with the end of her braid, Katniss kept her eyes trained on the handsome face on their television screen. This show was so hard to follow.

 

“Well, y’know, I did the thing and um, it was nice.”

 

“Nice?” Her voice raised an octave, “Katniss are you sure you had an orgasm because I’m pretty sure I’ve never used the word ‘nice’ to describe one.”

 

Biting her lip, memories of orgasms flashed in the forefront of her mind. Squirming, she realised an uncomfortable number (or um, all) of these images heavily featured Peeta.

 

“Okay, it’s pretty amazing,” heat flooded her cheeks, “Um, I really like… it.”

 

Madge reached forward to grab a spring roll, drenching it in sweet chilli source, “I bet you do, you’ve been glowing for weeks.”

 

Katniss reached up to cover her face, had she really?

 

The sound of the key in the front door halted further conversation. Peeta and Cashmere stumbled into the apartment laughing.

 

“Oh, hey guys.” Peeta pulled up short, one hand tugging through his hair, the other circling Cashmere’s waist.

 

“Hey Roomie, feel like haven’t seen you in ages!” Madge grinned over the back of the couch.

 

Katniss tried not to stare at the thumb tracing circles at Cashmere’s waist.

 

Jumping from her spot on the couch she hurriedly packed up the remains of the takeout and said “I just remembered, I promised Johanna I’d meet her at the library to work on our forestry project, sorry Madge!”

 

“What? Katniss we still have five episodes of Game of Thrones to watch!”

 

“Tomorrow, I promise.”

 

Peeta frowned at her as she shoved her laptop and a few textbooks into a book bag, “It’s pretty late Katniss, can’t you just meet her tomorrow?”

 

“Um,” she looked up and locked eyes with Cashmere. The leggy blonde was smirking down at her, eyes gleaming with the hint of a secret. She thought of going to her room and listening to the two of them fuck for the next two hours. “Yeah no I’ll be fine. See you guys.”

 

The front door was slammed shut behind her before the others had the chance to say goodbye.

 

Pulling her phone out of her pocket she texted Johanna, figuring it’d make her look like less of an idiot if she actually did work on that forestry project.

 

-

 

They were holed up in a corner of the library when Katniss’ phone buzzed in her pocket.

 

_Peeta Mellark: Are u ok? (sent 10:38pm)_

 

She frowned. By their usual timing she’d expect him to be balls deep right about now.

 

**Yeah fine, just have a lot of work (sent 10:40pm)**

The little typing bubble popped up and disappeared a few times, but no message came through. She turned back to her project, reading through the Google doc comments Johanna was making and adding some of her own in response.

 

_Ok well text me when ur on ur way home (sent 10:51pm)_

**Why? (sent 10:54pm)**

_Cashmere just left and I feel like watching a movie w u in my room (sent 10:57pm)_

Johanna coughed from across the table, raising an eyebrow as she looked up, “What’s up, brainless? You’re looking even more constipated than usual.”

 

“I’m just thinking about the impact of deforestation on bird migratory patterns,” Katniss hoped that sounded more legitimate out loud than it did in her head. Judging by the significant eye roll sent her way it didn’t.

 

“Whatever idiot, I’m heading home in fifteen whether we’re finished or not so get your ass in gear.”

 

If there was one thing Katniss truly appreciated about Johanna, it was that she didn’t push her to open up.

 

**Movie or… ? (sent 11:03pm)**

_Well i meant movie but whatever u want (sent 11:03pm)_

Katniss smiled, quickly tapping out a reply before diving back into work for a last fifteen minutes.

 

**Movie sounds good :) u pick (sent 11:04pm)**

 

-

 

Dead bolting the door behind her as she snuck back into the apartment nearing midnight, Katniss grabbed a glass of water from the kitchen before heading down the hall to Peeta’s room.

 

She knocked lightly, worried that maybe he’d fallen asleep since they texted. But sure enough, she heard the telltale shuffling of feet before the door opened to reveal a dishevelled looking Peeta wearing only his boxers and a white t-shirt.

 

“Hey, I was starting to get worried you’d ditched me for some hunk at the library.”

 

Smiling she moved to sit down on Peeta’s bed, “No hotties at the library today unfortunately.”

 

“Well I know there was a least one,” he winked at her.

 

Katniss frowned, “Who?”

 

Peeta just chuckled, “Don’t you worry your pretty little head about it. Let’s watch a movie, you comfortable?”

 

Looking down at her denim jeans she shook her head no, “I’ll just go change quickly…”

 

Flinging open his bedside draw Peeta pulled out a worn high school t-shirt and a pair of boxers.

 

“Don’t bother, just borrow these,” he smiled up at her, holding out the items, “I promise they’re clean.”

 

“Uh, thanks.”

 

Grabbing the clothes, Katniss considered ducking off the bathroom to change. She liked keeping the line between their friendship and their… whatever it was as clear as possible. It would get too complicated in her head otherwise.

 

Before all of this she would have definitely chosen the bathroom option, but he was just flicking around on his laptop, probably freshly fucked, and he’d already seen her naked (multiple times).

 

What the heck?

 

Shucking her jeans and hoodie, she quickly threw on the clothes Peeta had lent her. He smiled up at her, always an easy grin lurking in his features.

 

“Hop in slowpoke, we’re watching Star Wars Episode IV and if you try and tell me you think Harrison Ford is hot I may just cry.”

 

She laughed and jumped under the covers, shivering a little at the cool sheets, “Well get out your tissues because Han Solo is a complete babe, and don’t get me started on Indiana Jones, he could crack that whip around me any day.”

 

\--

 

They woke in a tangled mess of limbs and sheets and pillows. Somewhere between the tragic death of Obi-Wan and the destruction of the Death Star, Katniss had fallen asleep in Peeta’s bed. 

 

“Mornin’.”

 

Katniss’ face was buried in his chest, his arms were curled around her back, one leg thrown over her hip while one of hers was cradled between his thighs. She felt cocooned and content.

 

She nudged her head up to look at his face. He still had creases in his skin from the pillows but the morning light that filtered through his windows highlighted his long, golden eyelashes, and she found it hard not to smile.

 

“Mornin’,” she replied.

 

“Did Luke destroy the Death Star? I missed it.” His voice was groggy, heavy with sleep.

 

“No he fucked it up this time.”

 

He pouted and Katniss had to fight the urge to reach out and touch that plump bottom lip.

 

“The one time I fall asleep is when the movie goes and changes on me, damn.”

 

Laughing, she untangled herself from Peeta and rolled out of bed.

 

“Where do you think you’re going?” He grabbed at her wrist, tugging her back into the bed.

 

“I need to pee.”

 

Scrunching his nose, he huffed in response, “Okay, fine, but come back after.”

 

“Um, okay.”

 

The smile on Peeta’s face could convince her to do just about anything, “I’ll be right back.”

 

-

 

After quickly brushing her teeth and rinsing her face, Katniss snuck back into Peeta’s room, hoping that Madge hadn’t noticed their little sleepover. She wasn’t quite sure why she cared; they’d all had sleepovers before after late nights of drinking or movie marathons. But this felt different somehow.

 

Pushing the door shut behind her, she smiled at the sight of Peeta who’d fallen back asleep, clutching his pillow to his chest.

 

She tried to sneak under the covers so as not to disturb him but he cracked one blue eye open “You’re not as quiet as you think, Everdeen.”

 

One corner of her lips tugged into a smirk, “Oh I think you underestimate exactly how quiet I can be, Mellark.”

 

“Oh, really?” He rolled over on top of her, caging her tiny frame between his toned arms, “Maybe we should test that theory.”

 

Darkening blue eyes followed the path of her tongue as it traced her bottom lip, “The thing is in my room.”

 

Peeta leant in, breath tickling her ear, “Lesson number three: sometimes all you need a human touch.”

 

Oh, Lord Jesus help her. 

 

“I’m pretty sure I’ve tried every trick in the book with that one.”

 

As he pulled back she caught the dilated pupils and flushed cheeks, “You haven’t tried me.”

 

“Wh-what?” She tried to control her breathing, to not sound so eager. Tutoring session. Just a tutoring session.

 

“This lesson will be a bit more…” one calloused thumb traced the path her tongue had so recently taken, “hands-on.”

 

He reared back, resting his knees on either side of her hips.

 

“I’ll be taking my clothes back now, okay?”

 

His hands went to the hem, knuckles skimming her sides and leaving goosebumps in their wake.

 

She raised her arms above her head, sighing at the feel of his skin on hers. _Finally._

Rolling to their sides she shrugged off the boxers leaving her in only a pair of dark green panties and a white cotton bra.

 

“Take off your bra and play with your nipples.”

 

As quickly as she could she unclasped the bra, throwing it somewhere behind her. She grasped both breasts in her hands, pulling and pinching at the nipples, alternating with soothing touches from the tips of her fingers.

 

“Your tits are amazing.”

 

Peeta had his head propped on one arm, the other hand lazily palming his erection through his boxers. He smirked as he caught her staring, “Hey, it’s difficult not to get a little turned on watching you get off.”

 

Fuck.

 

“I’m going to touch your breasts.” Though still commanding, his voice held an air of questioning, his eyebrow raised, as though seeking confirmation that this was all okay, that he wasn’t taking it too far.

 

“Okay.”

 

The hand that had been on his cock moved to her breasts. One breast perfectly filled his palm. He kept his grasp gentle but the roughness of his hands on the sensitive skin had her moaning.

 

“Weren’t you trying to prove to me you could be quiet?”

 

Dammit. Glowering up at the mirth in his gaze, she mimicked zipping her lips and pressed her chest further into his grasp.

 

The movements became more intent, and she couldn’t tell if it was to try and get her to make noise or because he wanted her to come. Heat spread from the swell of her breasts across her cheeks.

 

She bit down hard on her lip to stifle the noises as he circled his thumb around her nipple. Grinning, he leant down and closed his mouth around it, tugging at it with his teeth before laving it with his tongue.

 

This was going to be harder than anticipated. The feeling of his mouth on her, his hand palming the other breast, his body almost resting on top of hers had pleasure shooting across her body and directly to her core.

 

Peeta pulled away to watch her writhing on the bed sheets, jaw clenched, thighs pressed together.

 

“Play with your clit, I want you to be dripping by the time I get there.”

 

Nodding she bit down hard on her lip as he attended to the other breast. She had to worm her hands under his body to reach into her knickers and the weight of his stomach on her forearm as she tried to circle her clit was oddly erotic.

 

“I can feel your arm working so hard.”

 

“Uhuh,” her voice was breathy and strained, barely a whisper.

 

“Pinch it.”

 

She did and the feel of it, combined with his nips at her breasts had sharp heat coursing through her.

 

Wrapping her free arm across his shoulders, she pulled Peeta down on top of her, desperate for contact. She tugged at the hem of his t-pulling it over his head before bringing her lips to his ear, “I’m dripping.”

 

“Fuck, Katniss.”

 

His cock was a rigid line against the seam of her thigh and she bucked her hips a little to try and create friction where she wanted it most.

 

“Put your fingers in your pussy.”

 

Wiggling a little to free her hand from under him she did as told, thrusting slowly.

 

Peeta adjusted himself on top of her, aligning his cock so it lay along the length of her slit, only underwear and satin boxers separating them from touching. Wrapping one arm around her shoulders he rolled his hips experimentally into her own.

 

His eyes were fat black pupils, barely a sliver of blue as he held her gaze. He kept rolling his hips and she choked on moans as the friction built against her clit. Her arm moved with his body and if she tried hard enough she could imagine it was his cock inside of her, thrusting into her instead of her own measly fingers.

 

The rhythm built, his hips moved faster, thrusts more powerful. She wound her legs around him, and clamped her mouth around his shoulder, biting down to stay quiet as she soared internally.

 

“I’m close,” his voice was strained.

 

At the feel of her nod he reached one hand down between them, adding a finger or two of his own to hers as they thrust in and out in time with the tempo of their hips.

 

Oh god she felt full so full. Peeta was inside of her, his fingers stretching her entrance, going deeper than her small hands could ever reach.

 

With a muffled cry into his shoulder, Katniss tensed all over, Peeta thrusting furiously a few more times before they both collapsed into a skin-slicked pile on the bed. Their hips continued languid movements, twitching muscles in the aftermath that could do no else.

 

They looked at each other and laughed.

 

“So, who gets to clean up first?”

 

Peeta smirked, “Who says we have to clean up separately?”


	4. Chapter 4

“Mmph, Peeta these cinnamon buns are outrageously good!” Madge proclaimed around a mouthful of said baked-good, hair slicked back into a high ponytail.

 

Katniss laughed loudly, playing with the strap of her sports bra, “You’re going to put all those calories straight back on!”

 

Madge simply shrugged and stuffed more of the bun into her mouth with a groan.

 

Picking at her bun, Katniss grinned up at Peeta, “You’re an enabler Peeta Mellark, we’re trying to be healthy!”

 

He flopped down onto the couch beside her, throwing one arm across her shoulders and grabbing her cinnamon bun with the other, stuffing half of it into his mouth. He gripped her shoulder, throwing a wink her way as he squeezed it.

 

She was still flushed from her workout at the gym with Madge. It’d been brutal. It was no wonder her heart was still thudding in her chest, pulse ticking in her neck as the blood filled her cheeks.

 

Shrugging his hand off her shoulder she deflected his frown with a simple, “Too hot.”

 

“You two have seemed awfully close lately,” Madge teased over the last bites of her second cinnamon bun, “Are you guys having flat-mate bonding time without me?”

 

The pout on the blond girl’s lips was teasing, but Katniss choked on the one bit of her bun that was left.

 

Peeta thumped her back as he answered, “Nah nothing special, Katniss has had me slaving away helping her add drawings to her botany project, there’ve been some late nights.”

 

Gulping down her bottle of water Katniss nodded. The less she spoke the better. Madge (and well, everyone) had always been pretty adept at picking up her lies.

 

“Yeah he’s been very, um, helpful.”

 

Madge grabbed the remote, flicking through channels on the television, “Hope Cashmere doesn’t get too jealous of Katniss hogging all your time. Gale gets antsy whenever it’s been more than a few days since I slept over.”

 

Sliding a bit further down the couch, Katniss hoped the other two didn’t notice how much she was fidgeting in her seat.

 

“Cashmere doesn’t care,” he chucked a reassuring smile her way but it dropped a little at whatever he saw on her face, “She’s cool like that.”

 

Propping her feet up on the coffee table, Madge reached for a third cinnamon bun, “You’ve lucked out with that lady, Peeta, hot and chill! You should double date with Gale and I!”

 

Katniss crossed her arms and frowned at the television. Some lame show about teenagers discovering earth or something equally idiot was playing.

 

“I’ll mention it to her,” Peeta’s voice was cool. She could feel him watching her out of her periphery.

 

“Yeah and when Katniss stops being such a goody-goody and finds herself a boyfriend, we can triple!”

 

Nothing sounded less appealing. Pushing herself up from the couch she kept her head turned away from the pitying expressions she knew would be directed her way.

 

“I’m gonna shower and then y’know, be my typical goody-goody self and study in my room. See you guys in the morning.”

 

-

 

The water was almost scorching. Her normally olive skin was blotchy and red.

 

Head pressed against the cool of the tiles, water streaming in such a way that the sound of it in her ears was the only thing she could hear, Katniss felt tears well in her eyes.

 

She loved Madge, she really did. But right now she wished her best friend didn’t exist. She wished Peeta hadn’t walked in on her. She wished she didn’t crave the feeling of him over her, of his fingers on her, inside of her, the bliss of orgasm he gave her.

 

Fuck.

 

She was in way too deep.

 

And the worst part was she wasn’t sure she wanted to get out.

 

\--

 

Sweaty and sated Katniss collapsed on to the bed beside Peeta.

 

“You’re getting really good at that,” his voice was hoarse.

 

“At what?” Katniss frowned. She’d only gotten herself off by basically dry humping his thigh like a dog on a fire hydrant a couple of times.

 

“Coming. That took like five minutes.”

 

He was doing that thing again, where he’d curl her into his body afterwards and run his hands through her hair. She wouldn’t deny that the feel of his fingertips on her scalp sent tingles throughout her body, but the action felt so intimate.

 

“Do you think we should stop?”

 

The hand that had detangling a knot of her hair paused. She felt his chest heave a sigh beneath her head. She couldn’t look at him.

 

“Do you, um, do you want to stop?”

 

She traced the lines of his abs, taking note as they tensed under her fingers in particular spots.

 

“Well y’know, you said you’d keep going until I was really good at coming and you just said that um…” she paused, “Well that I’m really good… at it… And I don’t want to um, force you. To keep going. And stuff.”

 

Peeta hummed for a moment, as though seriously considering her words.

 

“Despite what you might think, due to apparent lack of orgasms on my side of the deal, I actually do enjoy this,” he squeezed her bare hip briefly, “and besides, I still have a few lessons to teach you.”

 

She looked up at him, a small smile playing on her lips.

 

“I can’t send Katniss Everdeen out into the big wide world of Men Who Don’t Know What To Do With Their Hands without giving her the best foundation possible, right?”

 

Right. Because after this was done, he’d go back to the fantabulous Cashmere, and she’d go find a man who didn’t know the meaning of ‘clitoral stimulation’. She couldn’t wait.

 

Pushing those annoying thoughts out of her mind, she rolled over so her bare chest was aligned with Peeta’s.

 

“And what might these lessons be, hm?”

 

“If I tell you, you’ll just go perfect them on your own, and then I’m out of a job. No wonder Jo calls you Brainless.”

 

Peeta’s eyes were soft, crinkled slightly in the corners and lips lazily curved as he looked down at her spot on his chest. He kept his fingers tangled in her hair.

 

“Alright, I guess I can stick around to find out.”

 

\--

 

Katniss had always hated winter. It meant fewer trips to the woods, less game, less time with her father.

 

But now it meant more clothes to take off, more time until she could have Peeta’s fingers inside of her, his breath on her abdomen.

 

Whining, she tugged at her hoodie and t-shirt, pulling them off in one go, “Peeta, hurry up!”

 

He was still unbuttoning his coat as she was stripping her jeans from her legs.

 

“You get started.”

 

Laying on the bed in only her underpants, she kept her eyes on Peeta as her hands caressed her body.

 

She teased her nipples into tight buds, biting her tongue as Peeta’s t-shirt landed on the floor. The wrestling season was doing wonders for his body.

As he was unbuttoning his jeans, Katniss got up on all fours, curling one finger at him, “C’mere, I want to try something.”

 

Peeta paused, raising an eyebrow, but obeyed regardless.

 

Kneeling she grasped the zip of his jeans, pulling it down over the beginnings of his erection.

 

This would be the first time she’d seen his cock.

 

She looked up at him through her eyelashes, licking her lips as she tugged his jeans and briefs down his hips, thighs, dropping them to the floor.

 

Lowering her gaze she took in the sight of his cock. Still only at half mast, surrounded by a thatch of neatly trimmed, dark blond hair. She gulped.

 

“Katniss, these lessons are about you, don’t worry about me.”

 

His voice was strained, regretful.

 

“New lesson, Peeta Mellark: sometimes giving is as rewarding as receiving.”

 

With that she gripped it in her small hand, watching in awe as it grew larger in her grasp. The skin was velveteen but also hard. Once it was full and heavy in her hand, the head red and swollen she gasped.

 

“You have a magnificent cock.”

 

She leant forward and licked across the slit, eliciting a groan from Peeta. Looking up, she gripped the base of his dick with one hand and closed her mouth around the head.

 

Covering her teeth she bobbed slowly, swirling her tongue as she went to add lubrication to her movements. Moving her hand in tandem she built up speed, keeping her vision fixed on Peeta’s.

 

His pupils were dilating, jaw clenching, hands fisting at his sides.

 

He felt so damn good in her mouth. His cock was thick and large. She could feel the blood pulsing as she traced the vein on the underside with her tongue.

 

Finding it too difficult to look at his face, she watched the contraction and release of his abs, quickening the rhythm of her mouth on him.

 

One of his hands found its way to the back of her head, fingers twisting in the strands. The light prick of pain combined with the noises and groans escaping his mouth pulsed through her. She could already feel the evidence of her arousal soaking her underpants. 

 

Just as she felt his cock begin to swell further, he tugged at her hair, releasing from her mouth with a slight pop.

 

“I don’t want to come yet.”

 

Katniss preened at the sound of a breathless, desperate Peeta.

 

His cock was glistening with her saliva and she could hardly take her eyes off it as Peeta pushed her back on the bed, spreading her thighs with his knees.

 

“Have you ever come with someone’s tongue on your clit?”

 

Shaking her head ‘No’, Katniss moaned at the feel of Peeta kissing and licking his way down her stomach. His hands gripped her thighs, holding them open as he nudged his way between.

 

His mouth hovered over her mound, still covered by her thin, cotton underpants.

 

With one hand he stroked along the line of her slit.

 

“Holy fuck Katniss, you’re so wet,” he pressed his nose against her clit and she cried out, “You’re so wet just from sucking my dick.”

 

She nodded emphatically, thoughts scattered at the knowledge of what he was about to do. Wanton hands played with her breasts as she watched Peeta between her thighs.

 

His eyes were wide, tongue licking his lips.

 

Fingers pulled at the sides of her panties, easing them down her toned legs.

 

“I can’t wait to eat you out.”

 

“Me neither.”

 

Peeta laughed as he kissed his way back up her legs, “Give and ye shall receive.”

 

Oh.

 

Oh, yes.

 

The feel of Peeta’s tongue on her slit was like nothing else. Not her bullet nor her fingers nor even his. This felt like magic.

 

His nose nudged at her clit and she writhed on the bed, pressing her hips into his face to replicate the feeling. She felt him lapping at her opening, tasting her.

 

He moved up her slit to suck her clit into his mouth. If it weren’t for his hands steadying her thighs, she likely would have clamped his head between them, trapped him there forever.

 

Dark eyes watched her as he sucked diligently. With two fingers he fucked her in time with the swirls of his tongue, the nips of his teeth.

 

Her fingers twisted in sheets, toes curled, eyes clenched shut as she breathlessly chased that feeling, that high that was so damn addictive.

 

With one hard suck at her clit she felt her whole body tensing, limbs filled to the brim with pleasure, voice crying out into the abyss as she toppled over.

 

Peeta fell down beside her grinning, chin glistening with the evidence of her arousal.

 

His cock was still hard, bobbing against his abs.

 

Through the haze of orgasm she found her hand reaching for it, still lubricated with her spit. She watched the grin fade as her hand pumped, loved the face he made as pleasure overtook his body. And when he came, she licked the semen from her fingers, heat pulsing through her at the intensity of Peeta’s stare.


	5. Chapter 5

The days leading up to finals had Katniss in the library for more hours of the day than probably considered healthy. She really wanted to get into grad school and if she could just push through this few weeks of study it would _all pay off_.

 

But that meant that she was even more tense than usual… More in need of a release.

 

Stumbling through the door close to one in the morning, Katniss was surprised to find Peeta flipping through channels on the TV.

 

“Oh hey,” his smile was tired, matching the purplish circles under his eyes, “I was hoping you’d get home soon.”

 

Perking a little at his words, she dropped her book back on the table before curling up beside him on the couch.

 

Yawning she asked, “How many exams have you got left?”

 

He stretched an arm around her shoulders, “Just the one, you?”

 

“Same. Finish next Tuesday.”

 

Her eyes were drooping, barely able to focus on the screen.

 

“C’mon, let’s go to bed.”

 

Katniss nodded and felt the world fall away around her as Peeta lifted her into his arms.

 

“You work too hard, Kat.”

 

She purred at the sensation of his thumb caressing her shoulder, “Mmm, I deserve a present.”

 

He chuckled.

 

“Oh yeah? What did you have in mind?”

 

“Cheese buns and orgasms.”

 

She smiled at the feel of his laughter under her cheek.

 

“You are getting mightily demanding, Miss Katniss.”

 

Shrugging, she peeked up at him, “Girl’s gotta look out for herself.”

 

Peeta shook his head, a wide smile planted on his face.

 

Pushing open the door to his bedroom, he dropped Katniss on the bed saying, “Well it’s a bit late for cheese buns but I might be able to help with the other one, though you seem pretty tired.”

 

Sitting up quickly, Katniss pulled off her t-shirt and jeans before he’d even closed the door.

 

“Not tired anymore.”

 

Teeth caught between his bottom lip, Peeta huffed a laugh.

 

“I think you’re ready to try by yourself.”

 

Katniss pouted.

 

“That doesn’t sound like a present.”

 

Bending down he pressed a kiss to her forehead, “Trust me, I’ll make it worth your while.”

 

He pulled off his t-shirt and jeans, throwing them on the floor to join Katniss’.

 

Taking his place on the opposite side of the bed wearing only a pair of briefs, he looked over at her intently, “Show me what you’ve learnt so far.”

 

Hunger coiled inside her, pulsing low and steady in her belly. 

 

She began playing with her breasts, teasing and pulling the way Peeta always did, moaning at the feeling.

 

Tugging off her panties she leant back on the bad, feeling flushed all over with the knowledge of Peeta’s heated gaze on her exposed body.

 

With one hand she collected some of the juices collecting at pussy before sucking it between her fingers.

 

The sound of Peeta’s groan caught her attention and she looked over to see his briefs pushed down his thighs, cock out, and one hand fisting it slowly.

 

“Keep going.”

 

She kept her eyes on his cock. She loved the slight bend to the right, the bulbous red head. As she moved her hands down her body to her clit she imagined it was that cock pressing against her folds, teasing her clit.

 

“Peeta,” she looked up to see his gaze fixed on the fingers that circled her clit, the fist around his dick matching her teasing movements.

 

His eyes flickered to hers briefly, black wells of desire, before he went back to his blatant appraisal of her slit.

 

Fuck.

 

Circling faster she watched the pre-cum leak from the tip, licking her lips at the thought of taking him into her mouth.

 

Taking three fingers, she pressed them into her entrance, groaning at the feeling of being filled, at the wish that it was _more_.

 

She pumped her fingers, so much easier to imagine as his cock with the image of it in front of her, disappearing under his fist at the same pace.

 

Clenching her thighs she rubbed her clit harder, moans curled into the air, sweat glistened on her skin, eyes on his cock, always on his cock.

 

The build up was so easy she hardly noticed it until she was almost at the edge of oblivion, so unlike all her life when she’d been so conscious, so hyperaware of her inability to reach it.

 

Peeta’s hand moved faster, gripped a little tighter and she was transfixed by the sight of his clenching thighs, tightening balls.

 

And then he was coming: white spurts of semen clinging to his fist, dripping down his abdomen, leaking from the still hard tip.

 

“Fuck, fuck Peeta!”

 

She rolled over, pressing her head into the pillow to stifle the screams as she rubbed furiously, hand trapped between her body and the sheets.

 

The vision of him coming played over and over in the seconds it took her to come, black spotting her vision, chest heaving.

 

He lay down alongside her, tracing the line of her spine, “Congratulations, you just gave yourself an orgasm.”

 

Katniss could only nod while she tried to catch her breath.

 

She turned her head, breath coming slower now, and opened eyes to see Peeta’s intent on hers. Her eyelids fluttered.

 

“I’m tired now.”

 

He smiled, rolling on his back so she could assume their now familiar sleeping position, “Me too.”

 

\--

 

“Freedom!” Madge shouted into the overcast skies, arms thrown into the air, blonde hair bouncing around her gleeful smile.

 

Katniss shook her head at her friend's antics but couldn’t wipe the wide smile from her face for a second. 

 

The taller girl wrapped an arm around her shoulders as they walked back to the apartment from the exam centre.

 

“Now that we’re all done, we should go out and celebrate! We should go to that club Johanna’s been raving about!” It was hard to say no to a joyous Madge, even though all Katniss really wanted to do was catch up on about three weeks worth of sleep.

 

She hummed, wrapping her arm around her friend’s waist, “We should ask Peeta too, he finished yesterday.”

 

“Yes! Flat-bonding time!” Madge pouted down at her, “I’ve missed hanging out all together this semester.”

 

Katniss was grateful for the cold as it masked the flush of her cheeks.

 

“Yeah,” she bit her lip, “me too.”

 

Reaching the apartment they found Peeta lazing on the couch, a bowl of steaming cheese buns on the table in front of him.

 

“Cheese buns!” Madge ran straight for the table, cramming one into her mouth with a delighted moan.

 

Peeta winked at Katniss as she settled on the couch beside him, “How’d your last exam go?”

 

She sighed, shrugging her shoulders and reaching for her cheese bun, “Fine, I guess, it’s over now and that’s all that matters.”

 

“Yeah I made you a present,” his eyes caught hers on the word and she blushed, “as a reward for all your hard work.”

 

Tugging on her braid she stuffed a bit of cheese bun into her mouth and avoided his significant gaze.

 

“Katniss and I want to go clubbing tonight,” Madge, thankfully, seemed oblivious to the heated moment passing between them, “You have to come too, Peeta.”

 

He raised an eyebrow at her, moving his gaze away from Katniss, “And what if I have other plans?”

 

The blonde scoffed, “What other plans? Cashmere went home days ago.”

 

Katniss pursed her lips and he elbowed her lightly in the ribs.

 

“Yeah alright, we’re doing shots before hand, okay?”

 

Clapping her hands together, Madge turned her way; mouth twisted in a smirk that Katniss knew meant trouble.

 

“Whatever it is, No.”

 

“Yes, Katniss we’re going shopping.”

 

The stubborn look on Madge’s face was one that suggested she had absolutely no say in the matter, but damn if she wouldn’t try anyway.

 

“I’m broke.”

 

“Lie: you’ve been working all semester and barely spent a cent.”

 

Katniss crossed her arms, looking to Peeta with a pleading expression.

 

He just shrugged, raising his hands as if to say ‘What do you want me to do?’

 

“Traitor.”

 

The pair laughed at the scowl settled on her face and she retreated further into the couch.

 

“C’mon Katniss we’ll be quick, I promise,” she crossed her hand over heart, solemn expression on her face, “Just until we find an outfit so you can finally get laid tonight.”

 

Her eyes flickered to Peeta as heat flooded her cheeks, but he just stared stoically at the television, apparently completely uninterested.

 

“Okay fine, let’s go shopping.”

 

-

 

Katniss frowned at the reflection in the mirror. She had to hand it to Madge, she was very good at the whole dressing up thing.

 

They’d found an off the shoulder black dress that flared a little from the waist, giving the impression of curves. It wasn’t overly flashy but revealed the smooth skin of her shoulders and neck, and paired with black, heeled boots showed off her toned legs.

 

She puckered her red stained lips at the mirror, checked the wings of her eyeliner, declumped the mascara clinging to her eyelashes.

 

Madge had convinced her to wear her hair down. The normally straight locks were curled slightly at the ends and hung down her back, over her breasts.

 

She wondered what Peeta would think.

 

Sending a silent thanks to the shoe goods for providing her with a pair she could actually walk in, she went out the living room where Peeta was preparing their pre-drinks.

 

He wolf-whistled as she entered, “Woah, Everdeen, looking dressed to impressed.”

 

She blushed, looking down at her toes, “You don’t look so bad yourself, Mellark.”

 

Understatement of the century.

 

He was wearing a pale blue button up shirt and dark jeans that hugged his ass just so.

 

“Be careful with all that praise over there, wouldn’t want my ego inflating,” his tone was joking but looking up she detected a hint of vulnerability.

 

Licking her lips she stepped closer, “You look good, Peeta, you’ll be fending girls off with a stick.”

 

And it was true, his curls were a little overgrown, flopping down over his eyes, the shirt matched his eyes and they sparkled in the light.

 

He smiled at her, “Shame I don’t want any of them.”

 

Turning before he could notice her frown, the downturn of her lips, Katniss made her way to the kitchen, “So what’re we drinking? Madge will still be a while.”

 

She could feel Peeta close behind her, his presence warm and familiar.

 

“I had some free time while you girls were out and figured I’d prepare some frozen margaritas,” he reached for the freezer, pulling out the mixture he’d made earlier.

 

“Have I ever told you that you’re my favourite roommate ever?”

 

There was no drink she loved more than tequila.

 

Peeta winked at her, “Maybe once or twice, but it wouldn’t hurt to hear more often.”

 

Wrapping her arm around his waist she blinked up at him, “Well, you’re my favourite.”

 

The smile he sent her way had her knees feeling like jelly.

 

After a quick round in the blender, he poured them both a glass.

 

“Cheers, Katniss, here’s to the end of exams.”

 

She looked him in the eye over the rims of their glasses, “Cheers, Peeta.”

 

-

 

The club was as sophisticated as you could expect of a local university joint, and about as packed as the end of exams would demand.

 

The dance floor was brimming with drunk, excited students. Gale and Madge had disappeared to one of the quieter rooms earlier, content to suck face until close.

 

Katniss was standing at the bar, waiting to order what would probably be her last drink of the night, if the fog clouding her brain was any indication.

 

Warm breath on her ear made her jump before she realised it was Peeta, “So much for flatmate bonding time, hm? I’m glad I managed to find you.”

 

Katniss nodded, embarrassed to admit she’d spent the last ten minutes standing on the edge of the dance floor to try and catch sight of his head.

 

“Sorry I disappeared for a bit, there was a bit of a uh, backup in the men’s bathroom.” He coughed and if it weren’t so dark she’d have noticed the blush that stained his cheeks.

 

“No problem, what’re you drinking?” With the boots, Katniss only had to lift herself a little bit so she could lean her head back and speak into his ear.

 

One of his hands wound around her waist, drawing her body into his. He leant down, his lips almost brushing the skin of her neck, “Whatever you’re having is fine.”

 

As he pulled away it almost felt like he was purposefully brushing his lips along her ear.

 

She shook her head and leant forward, calling down the barman, “Two tequila sunrises, please!”

 

After getting their drinks, Peeta grasped one of her hands leading her to a lounge where they could finish them.

 

“Are you having fun?”

 

He had to shout over the thumping music. Katniss just nodded in response, pulling the straw into her mouth and sucking quickly, determined to finish the drink so she could get out on the dance floor with Peeta.

 

When there was only ice left, she slammed her drink down on the table and offered her hand for his to take. As he stood, their chests were mere inches apart. She still had to look up a little to be face to face.

 

“Dance with me?”

 

Peeta’s eyes darkened as he nodded his consent.

 

Gripping his hand perhaps a little tighter than necessary, Katniss guided them through the thick crowd of sweaty bodies. The alcohol had made her mind a little foggy, but she was one hundred per cent aware of the feel of Peeta’s fingers between her own, of the hungry look in his eyes.

 

Reaching the middle of the dance floor she turned to face him, winding her arms around his neck and moving their bodies to the music. She could feel the bass thumping through her; the constant beat almost hypnotising as she stared into Peeta’s eyes.

 

It was loud and crowded and she was being touched on all sides but she was only aware of Peeta. Of his body pressed against hers, fingers digging into hips, the growing erection she felt against her lower abdomen, the spot where their foreheads touched.

 

She was hyper-aware of his presence.

 

Peeta tilted his head so he could press his mouth against her ear, “New lesson: doing it in public can double the fun.”

 

He pulled back, eyes searching hers. Katniss nodded slightly and he pulled her too him, lips lightly, so lightly pressing against hers. She had felt his lips on almost every inch of her body but this new and intimate contact had her insides melting in a way none of the other kisses had.

 

Winding one arm around her waist he held her even tighter against him. Katniss tucked her head into the crook of his neck, lips pressed against the sensitive skin so that he could feel every moan as it left her mouth.

 

One hand ducked under the hem of her dress, down the back of her panties. He squeezed her ass, grinding her against the erection now adamantly pressed against her. His groan into her ear went straight to her core, already so wet at just the feel of his hand on her backside.

 

With a light slap he moved his hands further into her underpants. Two thick fingers slid into her, immediately setting a hurried pace. She ground her pelvis against his thigh, the angle prevent him from really being able to reach her clit.

 

Their bodies slid against one another, grinding and riding. Her breaths came out in harsh pants against his neck. The thrill of pleasure coursed through her and she was barely able to stand.

 

She gripped his tensing biceps. They twitched under her fingers with his movements.

 

Biting down on the skin of Peeta’s shoulder, she pressed even further into his fingers, using his thigh as leverage.

 

His thumb brushed against her perineum and she cried out, stiffening against his body, driving against him.

 

“You look so fucking hot tonight Katniss,” his voice was a heady growl in her ear.

 

“I’d fuck you right here on this dance floor if I thought we could get away with it.”

 

Holy shit. Holy – “Ah!”

 

Clenching around his fingers she felt herself falling over the edge, sagging against his body a limp mess.

 

With careful hands he replaced her underwear, pulling his hand out from under her dress. He held it up between them, fingers glistening in the dark of the club. Holding his gaze, she took his fingers into her mouth, licking them clean.

 

“Fuck I love when you do that.”

 

He kept the tip of his thumb in her mouth as they continued dancing and she lathed it with her tongue.

 

Their groins mimicked the act, moving against each other in time with the music.

 

“Peeta,” she threw her head back, mouth wide, eyes closed to the pleasure.

 

He held her hips tighter.

 

Looking back at him, she moved her hands to his shoulders and leant in, breath ghosting over the shell of his ear, “I want you to fuck me.”

 

Without even a question he grabbed her hand and lead her to the bathrooms of the club. Not caring who noticed, he took them into the disabled toilet, double-checking that he locked the door behind him.

 

As he turned around Katniss stepped up, drawing his lips against hers. Her tongue traced the curve of his plump lower lip and Peeta opened his mouth in acceptance. Their tongues met, tasting each other for the first time.

 

Hands on her shoulders, he directed her against the back wall, hitching one leg around his waist and grinding down into her as they kept kissing.

 

He pulled away, pupils blasted wide and flicking between her own, down to her swollen lips.

 

Between pants she gasped out, “Condom?”

 

“In my wallet.”

 

She reached her hand into the front pocket of his jeans, tugging at the wallet as Peeta tugged her earlobe between his teeth.

 

Once she had the damned thing free he pulled back, filing through the contents to pull out a fresh condom packet. As he tore it between his teeth, Katniss fumbled with the button of his jeans, tugged at the zipper and pulled his cock free.

 

She stroked it with desperate hands, so grateful that she was about to feel it inside of her.

 

Peeta reached down to slide the condom over his cock and she marvelled at the process.

 

“Put your arms around my neck.”

 

Doing as told, Peeta hoisted her thighs onto the bar on the back wall, and somewhere at the back of Katniss’ mind she knew she should be grateful for the extra support.

 

But Peeta was tugging her underpants to the side, aligning the head of his cock with her entrance, pushing slowly inside, inch by glorious inch.

 

“Fuck Peeta, I’m so full! You fill me up,” her head hit the tiled wall behind her, legs wound around his ass desperate to pull him even deeper inside of her.

 

“You’re so tight, you feel amazing.” His voice was strained, teeth gritted as his hands gripped her hips, eyes focussed on the spot where his cock disappeared into her.

 

“Touch yourself,” his hands clenched around her hips, “I want you to come with me.”

 

Nodding emphatically she took one hand from where it gripped his shoulders and pulled her panties further to the side, circling her clit furiously with two fingers.

 

The slick sounds of them echoed off the walls, her moans dripped from her lips.

 

With a grunt his thrusts grew harder, faster and she matched him with the movements of her fingers on her clit, desperate to finish again. With Peeta.

 

“Fuck Katniss,” his teeth dug into his lip, “I’m so – I’m so close.”

 

She nodded, barely able to form a coherent thought, “S-Same.”

 

With one thumb he reached across her hip and pressed into her clit, the added pressure making pleasure crash through her.

 

As she reached that peak, walls clenching around his still thrusting cock, Katniss drew Peeta’s lips to hers, moaning against them as she came. His thrusts grew uneven. She felt him pulsing inside of her as he emptied into the condom, her walls and thighs still trembling.

 

Peeta sagged against her, forehead resting against her shoulder.

 

“Fuck that was…”

 

“Awesome.”

 

He laughed, drawing back, “I don’t want to rush you, but we should probably go before someone realises what we’re up to in here.”

 

Katniss nodded, mind still coming down from that ultimate high.

 

“Yeah, let’s go home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone for all the kudos and comments, they really put a smile on my face!


	6. Chapter 6

 

When Katniss woke the next morning, Peeta was unusually still fast asleep, one arm casually slung across her naked chest.

 

Her eyes roamed over the contended expression on his face, the scruffy curls mussed from a night of sleeping, the gentle rise and fall of his back.

 

For a fleeting moment she smiled, happiness bubbling in her chest. But then, realisation: She fucked Peeta Mellark. In a grotty club bathroom. While he had a girlfriend.

 

Fuck.

 

Feeling the tell tale signs of a panic attack rapidly accumulating she slid out from his embrace as quietly as possible and quickly pulled on her dress from the night before.

 

Sneaking back into her bedroom, she changed into pyjamas and slid under the covers of her own bed. Images of them fucking flashed in her mind, she felt her heart fluttering in her chest, tried not to focus on the details of his cock, the feel of biceps under fingers straining in his quest to bring her release.

 

For whatever reason Katniss felt like they’d crossed some imaginary line they’d been tiptoeing around for the last two months.

 

And the worst part of it all was how she cherished the sweet ache between her thighs, how goddamn happy she was that they’d finally, _finally_ had sex.

 

The thought sent an immediate rush of guilt racing through her veins, twisting her stomach.

 

She wasn’t allowed to have those sorts of thoughts. This was meant to be just another lesson, right? Peeta was taken by hot, blonde, funny Cashmere. He’d said himself the night before that he wasn’t interested in anyone else.

 

And that included plain old Katniss, so pitiful her best friend had to teach her how to orgasm.

 

Groaning she shoved her head under the pillow. 

 

Okay, it didn’t have to matter. It was just sex. Probably the best sex she’d ever had but that was neither here nor there. And, she said to herself, it was probably just because of their um, situation, that she felt this… tension between them. In fact, she bet that everything would be totally normal and not weird. Fine.

 

Crawling out from under the covers, she skulked into the kitchen, filling and flicking on the kettle for a cup of tea.

 

As the kettle reached the boil Peeta came into the kitchen yawning. With his arms stretched above him, she caught sight of a sliver of pale skin under the rise of his shirt.

 

She diverted her gaze, reaching up for the cupboards.

 

“Do you want a cup of tea?”

 

“Yeah thanks, Katniss, that’d be great.”

 

Placing the mugs on the bench she asked, “No milk, no sugar, right?”

 

He came up beside her, forearm lightly brushing hers.

 

“Yeah, you know how I like my tea.”

 

Shrugging, she bit her lip, avoiding his gaze, “I know lots of things about you.”

 

The only sound between them was the pouring of water into the mugs, the rising steam.

 

“Katniss, I – ”

 

“I’m going home tomorrow morning. For the break.”

 

Whatever he was going to say, she didn’t want to know. If he did something noble and regretful like apologise, Katniss didn’t think she’d be able to take it.  

 

“Oh? What are you um, doing? For the break?”

 

She tried not to cringe at the awkwardness. So much for fine.

 

“Y’know the usual, hang out with family, go to Christmas parties, flirt with whichever eligible bachelor my mother has put up to the challenge.”

 

Peeta stiffened beside her, “Oh?”

 

A harsh laugh escaped her, “Yeah, maybe I’ll actually be able to put your lessons to use on some unfortunate soul.”

 

She heard Peeta sigh, but still refused to look up at him, “Katniss, any man would be lucky to have you.”

 

Sipping at her sugary, milky tea she shook her head, embarrassment at her own incompetence flooding her cheeks.

 

“What are you doing?” Her voice was suddenly croaky and she swallowed the frog stuck in her throat.

 

Out of the corner of her eye she saw his hand reach up to scratch behind his neck, “Going home first, and then uh, off to Cashmere’s for her annual new year’s eve bash.”

 

“Meeting the family? Must be getting pretty serious between you two,” she was surprised at the bitterness of her tone.

 

Peeta took a step back, arms folding over his chest, “No not really, she just likes big parties and doesn’t live all that far from me so why not?”

 

“Cool well, I need to pack, see you later Peeta.”

 

Katniss rushed out of the room, grabbing a granola bar on the way. This morning wasn’t going at all how she’d hoped.

 

\--

 

In all likelihood, Katniss was going to die of boredom before the holidays were even over.

 

Prim was seventeen and way too cool to hang out with her older sister.

 

Her mother was working double-shifts at the hospital, desperate to avoid the memories this time of year brought up.

 

Most of her friends from high school were paired off, some even married with a few kids already.

 

Two days in this hellhole and she was already slightly more willing to relive that last, awful twenty-four hours with Peeta.

 

Instead she read ahead in her newly acquired second hand text books, marathoned episodes or Orphan Black and tried not to break her phone every time her friends instagrammed a photo of their much more glamorous lives.

 

Woo.

 

Bumming around on Facebook, she looked at the list of online contacts and saw the little green dot next to Peeta Mellark. Part of her wanted to say ‘Hey’ but a larger part of her just wanted to stalk his profile and feel bad.

 

She clicked through his profile pictures, surprised to notice she featured in a number of them: building sand castles on the beach in summer, hiking through the local trails, some on campus party they went to last year.

 

But the most recent was of him and Cashmere. His arm was around her waist as she leant her head on his shoulder, blonde hair streaming across his chest.

 

Before she could focus too heavily on the details, the message tone sounded and she closed out of the album.

 

Darius Reid.

 

Ugh.

 

_Hey Katniss! Your mother said you’re back so I thought I’d see if you wanted to catch up? There’s a party tonight at Thom Crowfield’s. If you wanted to go I could pick you up at 9?_

Oh no, she’d already clicked on it so he’d see that she’d seen the message. Her eyes flickered up to the small square version of Peeta and Cashmere.

 

_Hey Darius, long time! Yeah that sounds good, see you at nine._

His reply was quick: _Cool :) see you later_

 

Damn, her mother worked fast.

 

-

 

Katniss played with the sleeves of her tight fitting, scoop necked sweater as she waited for Darius to arrive. Prim had squealed at the opportunity to help her dress up for something, but she was insistent for it not to be too fancy.

 

Just enough that if she ended up in a photo on Facebook and someone saw it they’d think she looked attractive.

 

Or whatever.

 

The honk of a horn in her driveway startled her from her thoughts and she left the house, grabbing her coat on the way.

 

Darius’ red hair flashed in the light of the car, still just as bright as she remembered. He’d grown a little since she last saw him though, lost some of the lankiness, but he still had that wicked boyish grin.

 

He leant across the centre console and pressed a kiss to her cheek, “Great to see you again, Katniss.”

 

She smiled, “Yeah, you too.”

 

\--

 

The parties were typical: music, beer, the same old people telling the same old stories.

 

But Darius made her laugh til her sides hurt, made it easy to forget blond men and blue eyes. At least for a few minutes.

 

So on new year’s eve, after only a ‘Merry Christmas, Katniss’ text from Peeta all break, when Darius leant in to whisper ‘Happy New Year’ she didn’t turn away as he tried to kiss her.

 

Instead she grabbed his hand and led him to an upstairs bedroom, she watched his eyes brighten as she tugged at the zipper of her dress, moaned his name as he marked a sloppy trail down her neck.

 

But then his fingers were inside of her and they couldn’t do the _thing_ , and his tongue laved at her breast like a dog laps at water, and she tried to show him, to move her own fingers over her clit but it didn’t work. It didn’t work when he was inside of her, thrusting slowly and sweetly. Or when he went down on her after like a true gentlemen.

 

She’d come so many times now she knew the sounds she needed to make, desperate to avoid the wounded puppy look that had started to emerge when she didn’t come while they had sex. So she faked it.

 

And she felt like shit.

 

-

 

In her dream that night she had to sit behind a glass window and watch as Peeta fucked Cashmere.

 

\--

 

Prim wrapped her arms around Katniss’ shoulders, “It was great having you home, sis.”

 

She tried to resist rolling her eyes. Over the course of three weeks she’d seen her sister for an accumulative total of maybe forty-eight hours. And that was probably a generous estimate.

 

“Come visit me sometime.”

 

Her sister’s eyes brightened, probably at the thought of college parties and college boys. Their mother pursed her lips.

 

“Have a safe flight, honey,” the endearment sounded strange on her lips, “Feel free to call more often.”

 

“Yeah, will do,” she pressed a kiss to the older woman’s cheek, “I’ll see you soon.”

 

She probably wouldn’t.

 

“Stay safe, Prim!”

 

The pair was already back in the car, after having come to drop Katniss at the airport. Prim waved out the window, looking all of twelve years old.

 

It pained her to say it got easier to say goodbye every time she left.

 

Back when Katniss had first started her studies, Prim had cried into her shoulder for hours before letting her go get on the plane. Nowadays she was texting her boyfriend the entire trip over and hurrying the farewell so she could do the same on the way back.

 

Oh how the times had changed.

 

Huffing, she picked up her luggage taking it to check in.

 

Time to go back to reality.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is not far away, I promise...


	7. Chapter 7

“Welcome home Katniss!” The lump that was Madge Undersee was attached to Katniss not even two seconds after entering the apartment.

 

She laughed, returning the hug.

 

“Oh my god I cannot tell you how bored I’ve been this break,” the blonde followed her as she went into her bedroom, collapsing on the bed as Katniss set her luggage on the floor, “Daddy made me attend so many Christmas functions I don’t think I’ll ever be able to look at eggnog the same.”

 

Placing a melodramatic hand to her forehead, Madge looked up at where Katniss was unpacking her things.

 

“I did notice however, one naughty Everdeen posting lots of instagram pictures with a cute red-head,” she wiggled her eyebrows, “Tell all.”

 

Katniss blushed. She _had_ posted many more instagram pictures than she usually did, and most of them did feature Darius. And her. Having the best time. Ever.

 

“Um, just friends mostly.”

 

“Mostly?”

 

She was going to have to try a little harder to get out of this one, “Well we hooked up at new year’s, but it was nothing special, just a bit of a um, whatever.”

 

Madge rolled her eyes, “You are literally the worst at gossiping.”

 

Shrugging, she finished putting her clothes away and joined Madge on the bed.

 

Katniss fiddled with the end of her braid, “Is Peeta back yet?”

 

“Yeah, he got back yesterday but he stayed at Cashmere’s last night,” Madge turned to face her, “That reminds me, I’m staying at Gale’s tonight.”

 

“Oh, that’s fine,” she looked over to see the contrite expression on her best friend’s face, “Don’t worry about me.”

 

“I’m sorry Katniss! Tomorrow night we’ll have a movie night, promise!”

 

Shoving her friend with a light laugh, Katniss hopped out of the bed, “C’mon, let’s go get lunch somewhere. I’m starving!”

 

-

 

After three weeks at her mother’s house (she struggled to think of the place as _home_ ), it was actually kind of nice to be able to lounge around the apartment alone.

 

Katniss ordered take out and watched a movie Madge would never have agreed to. She took an extended shower, not having to worry about holding anyone up. And at the early hour of ten pm, she lay in bed reading a book without all the usual distractions that came with Peeta and Madge.

 

At ten-thirty she heard the front door slam shut, heard two sets of feet stumble down the corridor, pass her bedroom door and into Peeta’s room.

 

Fuck.

 

It was quiet for a minute or two; maybe they were just planning on going to sleep?

 

Then: “Oh, Peeta!”

 

Cashmere’s moans were deep and throaty, like some sex-starved goddess.

 

Through the thin wall that separated their bedroom, Katniss could hear just about everything. Maybe Peeta didn’t realise she was home, because they seemed even louder than usual.

 

“Fuck, Cashmere, that feels good,” his voice was low.

 

Katniss didn’t have to work hard to imagine the red head of his cock poking out of his briefs, Cashmere’s slender hand working over the bulge of his erection.

 

“That’s what I’m here for.”

 

She pulled a face, what kind of line was that?

 

Soon their moans were growing louder, more intent, Katniss imagined a thousand different scenarios: Cashmere’s mouth on his cock, his tongue on her nipples, her clit, his hands caressing her soft, pale skin, the strain of his arms as he finger fucked her into oblivion.

 

Katniss’ thighs clenched and she bit down on her lip.

 

Three weeks without an orgasm and Peeta was dishing them out a wall away.

 

Sliding her hands under her sleep shorts, she was embarrassed to find her pussy already wet. Two fingers teased the line of her slit, gathering moisture as they went.

 

“Yes Peeta! Yes fill me with that great cock!”

 

Ugh. She hurriedly reached into her bedside draw, grabbing her little bullet friend.

 

Switching it on, she used one hand to finger herself at the pace the headboard was slamming into the wall, and with the other she held the bullet hard against her clit. Just like Peeta always did.

 

She bit down hard on her lip, desperate not to be heard.

 

"Peeta!" Cashmere cried the name in an endless string of high-pitched, pleasure-filled squeals.  

 

The bullet pulsed relentlessly against her clit. Her body shivered in pleasure. She remembered the feel of him pounding into her against the grotty tiles of the disabled toilet, the way her walls stretched to greet him. 

 

Bending her knees, she planted her feet on the bed and raised her hips, allowing her fingers to go deeper, altering the sensations.

 

Blood rushed to her head and she gasped. The sounds of Peeta’s groans and Cashmere’s porn-star moans filling her ears as her body galloped towards the edge.

 

She bit her lip hard as the almost painful dive approached, her whole body poised on the precipice of something horrible or wonderful she couldn't quite tell. 

 

A hand slammed against the wall on the other side of her head. She thought of Peeta's thick fingers, the strain on his face as he delivered her to ecstasy. 

 

And then she was coming. And Cashmere was screaming. And Peeta was shouting sweet victory.

 

Fuck.

 

Collapsing on the bed, Katniss felt sweat trickle down her sides, across her brow.

 

The other side of the wall was quiet too.

 

After getting her breathing under control, she rolled out of bed to get a glass of water.

 

Her skin was still sticky with sweat and her thighs trembled slightly with every step.

 

Just as she was gulping down her glass, Cashmere trotted into the kitchen wearing only one of Peeta’s t-shirts. She had that air of post-coital bliss written all over her.

 

Cashmere startled a little at the sight of Katniss by the sink, “Oh! Hey Katniss, I didn’t realise you were home.”

 

She only nodded, a small frown creasing her forehead.

 

With a cool blue gaze, the tall blonde took in Katniss’ sweaty, dishevelled appearance. If she weren’t so tired, Katniss might have felt obligated to blush. All she really wanted though was for the other woman to let her wallow in peace. 

 

“Sorry if we kept you up.”

 

The smirk said she was anything but sorry.

 

Katniss shrugged as though she didn’t know what she was talking about, pouring another glass of water, “Do you want a glass?”

 

The high road.

 

“Yeah thanks, and one for Peeta too, please.”

 

She was glad she was facing the cabinet as the mask slipped slightly from her face.

 

Silently she poured their glasses while Cashmere tapped her fingers on the counter.

 

“So I guess Peeta’s lessons have been paying off?”

 

Katniss whirled around, “What?”

 

“You know,” she raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow, “I can tell a freshly orgasmed girl from a mile away.”

 

Katniss bristled, anger flaring inside of her, “Here’s your water.”

 

She grabbed her glass and stalked off to her bedroom, slamming the door shut behind her.

 

As she lay in bed listening to the soft sounds of Peeta’s snores, Katniss tried not to do something stupid like cry.

 

\--

 

Katniss couldn’t remember the last time she’d slept in past eight. As a child she’d always gone out into the words with her father, as a teenager she’d had to prepare breakfast for herself and Prim, and as an adult she’d had to work.

 

But on this dreary morning, with the rain pelting her window, and Cashmere’s words rolling through her head every time she woke, Katniss found herself sleeping until eleven, only waking to a knock on her door.

 

Madge poked her head in, “Hey, sleepy head, I just got back from Gale’s.”

 

Sitting up and rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she looked over at Madge with a frown.

 

Closing the door behind her, Madge walked over to the bed, sitting down beside Katniss.

 

With a gentle hand she pushed the hair behind Katniss’ ears, “Are you okay?”

 

Katniss felt the corners of her lips turn down and shrugged, “Yeah, I’ll be fine.”

 

Madge pursed her lips, but knew better than to push it, “Okay well I say we have a girl’s day out and then a girl’s night in, how does that sound?”

 

She nodded, anything to get out of the apartment.

 

“I just have to pick up something from campus before classes start, I’ll be back in time for you to have a shower and eat breakfast, okay?”

 

“Okay.”

 

-

 

Katniss was waiting for the toaster to ping when Peeta walked in the front door. His hair was wet, curls clinging to his forehead.

 

“Oh, hey Katniss.”

 

Pursing her lips she looked to the toaster as the bread popped out.

 

“Hi.”

 

He walked to the fridge, pulling out the milk bottle.

 

As he came up beside her to grab a glass, she hated the rush of warmth the spread through her.

 

Spreading a thick layer of peanut butter on her toast, she kept her eyes downwards as she spoke, “Sounded like you had lots of fun last night.”

 

He had the decency to sound sheepish as he replied, “Oh, you were home?”

 

“Mmhm, ran into Cashmere after, she congratulated me on being able to orgasm, so you know, thanks for that.”

 

“What?” Peeta’s voice grew hard.

 

“I love feeling like an incompetent idiot, especially in front of your five eleven girlfriend who’s so clearly mastered the art of coming,” she hated how angry she was, how betrayed she felt.

 

“Cashmere’s not my – ” he shook his head, “What did you expect me to do, Katniss? Of course I had to tell her!”

 

She felt blood pool in her cheeks. A part of her knew this of course. Peeta was nothing if not honest.

 

“You could have told me,” her voice cracked on the last word and she hated how vulnerable it made her sound.

 

Peeta sighed, deflating, “You’re right, I’m sorry I just… How was your break?”

 

Katniss looked up at him then for the first time since they’d had sex. His gaze was fixed on her, imploring.

 

“Fine. Tried putting your lessons to use.”

 

He stiffened, jaw clenched, hands fisted at his sides. Katniss frowned.

 

“Oh yeah? How did that work out for you?”

 

She wanted to lie, to say it was great and she’s cured and she can’t believe she ever found it hard to orgasm.

 

“It sucked.”

 

Peeta’s whole stance relaxed and she crossed her arms, “I guess I just need to find some other poor bastard who’ll let me practice on him.”

 

“No.”

 

She raised an eyebrow at him and he ran a hand through his wet hair.

 

“I just mean, not yet, I have one more lesson.”

 

“What?” She kept her voice cold, but her core clenched in anticipation.

 

“It’s a surprise, come to my room tonight,” his tone was almost questioning, pleading.

 

Shaking her head she said, “I can’t. Movie night with Madge.”

 

Huffing he frowned, checking the time on his phone, “Okay fine, tomorrow night, my room, try and get Madge to stay at Gale’s.”

 

The front door opened to a reveal an equally sopping Madge, halting any chance of further conversation.

 

But Peeta’s blue eyes held hers until she gave a subtle nod. He smiled, small and quick but enough to set her heart racing.

 

He turned as Madge entered the kitchen, “Katniss it’s too wet outside! Let’s just stay in and watch movies all afternoon.”

 

Taking a bite of her toast, Katniss shook her head ‘yes’, afraid that if she spoke Madge would be able to tell how thoroughly turned on she was.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, I'm kind of nervous about this chapter and want to add a warning but don't want to 'spoil the surprise'. Anyway there's sexy stuff (surprising, given the content so far) and if it's not your thing I won't be offended if you click away. However, thanks to all of you who have stuck with me on this, I really appreciate all your kind words and kudos. One more chapter after this!

The rest of that day and the next was a blur. Her mind was totally focussed on Peeta’s last lesson, on what it could be.

 

She lived each moment in a state of arousal. Images of his skin on hers, his tongue tasting the salt of her skin, the feel of his hips pressing into hers at the peak of each thrust played on loop in the back of her mind as she sat through lectures and tutorials.

 

It turned out Madge had already made plans to stay at Gale’s. So for dinner she had the apartment to herself.

 

While she was showering, Katniss heard the front door open. She lingered under the warm spray, checked she hadn’t missed a spot while shaving. After, she spent even longer rubbing moisturiser into her skin, brushing her teeth, drying her hair.

 

Peeta would just have to wait.

 

Changing into the slinkiest set of lingerie she owned and only a long t-shirt, she knocked on Peeta’s door.

 

If this was going to be their last night together she wanted to feel her absolute best.

 

Hearing heavy footfalls across the carpet she twirled the ends of her hair through her fingers, her stomach twisted.

 

The door opened.

 

And there was Cashmere.

 

“Hey – um, what?”

 

Cashmere almost purred, eyes trailing up her bare legs, “Come in, Katniss.”

 

Peeta lounged on the bed, hands crossed under his head.

 

His tongue trailed across his bottom lip as he took in her appearance, while Cashmere also moved to lie on the bed.

 

Confusion wrinkled her brow and her eyes flicked between the two as she tried to figure out what was going on.

 

“Last lesson,” Peeta’s voice was quiet, almost regretful, “Coming at the hands of another.”

 

Oh.

 

Cashmere sat up on her knees, curling one finger towards her.

 

Entranced, she moved towards the bed, still not quite sure what she was doing.

 

“No girl should go without orgasms,” her voice was like honey.

 

Katniss looked to Peeta then, his eyes trained on her face.

 

“If you're not comfortable with this, feel free to leave, or ask one of us to leave, if you get uncomfortable at any time, leave,” he sat up then, one hand caressing the space in the bed next to him.

 

“But if you choose to stay, this night is about you, we're both here to please you,” he looked over at Cashmere who smiled wickedly, licking her lips.

 

_About her._

 

A thousand reasons as to why she shouldn’t do this tumbled through her mind. She found herself remembering the sounds of their fucking only a few nights ago, how she’d got off just at the thought of it. Gaze flicking over to Cashmere her stomach swooped at the heat in the blonde’s gaze.

 

She thought of Darius, of her bullet in the next room, of the first time Peeta made her come, and of every time since. 

 

She thought of herself. This was all about her and for maybe the first time in her life she wanted to be the centre of attention.

 

“Okay, okay, I’m in.”

 

With her words, Cashmere got on all fours and crawled towards the edge of the bed, eyes dark and alluring.

 

Katniss breathed out, she was actually going to do this.

 

Standing at the end of the bed, she gasped as Cashmere reached her, tall enough on her knees to make them face to face.

 

Katniss felt her breath catch in her throat as the other girl leant in. Pale hands cupped her jaw and rosy-pink lips pressed against her own.

 

It felt different, kissing a girl. Her skin was softer, tongue caressed hers more slowly, an intimate mapping. The places their bodies touched elicited soft groans, breasts against breasts. One of Cashmere’s hands reached down to the hem of her t-shirt and pulled it up, teasing her sides as she went.

 

The blonde pulled back, eyes roving of her body, “Peeta was right, so hot.”

 

Katniss’ eyes flickered to Peeta’s, whose were almost black as they watched her.

 

Cashmere tugged off her own shirt revealing full, bare breasts. Katniss’ eyes were drawn to them.

 

With a smirk, Cashmere grabbed her hand and moved back across the bed, drawing Katniss between herself and Peeta.

 

Teasing fingers played with her breasts, and Katniss found her gaze transfixed.

 

“You can touch, if you want,” Cashmere’s eyes looked into her own.

 

With a tentative hand, she reached out to trace one hand across the pale pink nipple, so different from her own.

 

The other girl’s moans were encouraging, and she found her movements becoming surer. She rolled the nipple between her fingers and felt pride swell inside her with the loud moan it drew from Cashmere’s lips.

 

Katniss looked back as a hand fell on her hip. Peeta had shucked his jeans and rolled in behind her. He leant in and pressed a kiss to her shoulder, “Your turn.”

 

The rough palm of his hand slid across her flat stomach, cupped her breast through the thin scrap of black lace she still wore.

 

Someone’s hand, probably Cashmere’s slowly pushed her onto her back.

 

Peeta tugged at the lacy cup, pulling it down to expose her nipple to Cashmere’s waiting lips.

 

He curled into her side, lips nipping at her shoulder, her neck, jaw, ear. As Cashmere suckled earnestly at one breast, Peeta moved his hand along her side to her thighs.

 

Katniss felt a tug at her panties and lifted her hips so he could pull them down her legs. He went slowly, pressing kisses to her skin as he went. Flinging them away, he sat up and held her ankle to his lips, kissing tenderly, his eyes only on hers.

 

Coming back to her side he tilted her head and kissed her. His tongue traced the seam and she moaned against him, opening her mouth to allow him entry.

 

Cashmere bit down on her nipple and she cried out into Peeta’s mouth. One of his hands made it’s way to the thatch of curls between her thighs. A finger languidly traced circles around her clit as he continued to kiss her thoroughly, intently.

 

A far more slender hand followed the same path, briefly hinting at her clit before pushing slowly into her entrance. One of Cashmere’s fingers slid inside of her and she pressed her hips upwards, desperate for more.

 

Peeta’s mouth moved from her lips to her breasts. She arched her back as he reached around to unclasp her bra. Cashmere added another finger, moving faster, crawling languidly down her body.

 

Katniss opened her eyes as Peeta pulled away, frowning at the loss of sensation.

 

“Let Cashmere show you what she can do,” he said, voice laden with lust.

 

He sat back on the bed, tugging at his briefs to stroke at his cock.

 

With a long, sure lick at her slit, Katniss gasped. She looked down at the blonde head between her thighs, Cashmere’s eyes fixed on hers as she repeated the action.

 

Adding a third finger, the other woman closed her eyes, briefly caressing her clit with her nose before reaching her other hand to circle it hard and fast. The motions were deliberate, intent on delivering Katniss to pure bliss.

 

She felt pleasure spread from her core, building within her.

 

Pulling at the strands of her dark hair, she moaned into the room.

 

It felt good, so good.

 

But even as the pressure on her clit increased, as Cashmere’s fingers pumped furiously, she knew.

 

She wasn’t going to get there.

 

Looking up Peeta in desperation, he smiled knowingly.

 

He took her hand, entwining their fingers and moved beside her. His breath was hot and insistent in her ear.

 

“After you come,” he whispered, “I’m gonna fuck you.”

 

“Yes,” she panted between fierce strokes of Cashmere’s tongue against her clit, “Yes!”

 

“My cock has missed being inside you,” he nibbled at her ear.

 

Katniss gripped the sheets.

 

“The other night,” she strained to hear his voice as it grew quieter, “When I was fucking Cashmere.”

 

She moaned as Cashmere sucked at her clit.

 

“I was thinking of you,” his hand clenched hers, “I was thinking of you fucking yourself across the hall, wishing my cock was your fingers, I was thinking of you.”

 

“Oh, fuck!”

 

Waves of pleasure rolled through her, she undulated her hips against Cashmere’s mouth, gliding over the edge, unhurriedly, a smile resting on her lips, Peeta’s words spiralling in her mind.

 

Cashmere pulled away, a lazy grin spread across her face, “That was fun.”

 

She collapsed onto the bed beside Katniss, drawing lazy circles around the sated girl’s nipple.

 

“Your turn, Peeta.”

 

He rolled over to his bedside table, grabbing a condom from the draw.

 

Cashmere leant in to kiss her, the tangy taste of Katniss’ come still on her tongue.

 

Then Peeta was above her, parting her thighs, moving the head of his cock across her clit.

 

He lifted her hips and she wrapped her legs around her waist.

 

She cried out as he entered her, had been dreaming of this feeling.

 

“Fuck, Katniss.”

 

Clenching around him, she relished the sound of his groan.

 

His thrusts began slow, easing her body out of the post-orgasmic bliss, increasing in speed and power as her moans grew louder, more desperate.

 

Hips canted towards hips. His thumb swirled against her clit as he drove down into her. 

 

Squeezing her calves against his ass she pulled herself even closer, bringing his cock as deep into her as she could. Cashmere’s fingers on her breasts were almost distracting, an after thought in the pleasure that pulsed from the place where Peeta was demanding her attention.

 

Katniss panted, her heart raced, “Peeta, I’m so close.”

 

She opened her eyes, meeting his gaze dead on.

 

His mouth hung open in pleasure, sweat trickled down his neck.

 

He could read the frustration, the desperation as she laid it all bare in the charged air between them. She saw the shift in his demeanour, the smirk that _knew_ and the hand that grasped at her hip.

 

“Say it,” he gasped, “Say I’m the only one who can make you come.”

 

In the back of her mind she was aware of Cashmere rolling away from her, but her gaze was focussed on Peeta, on the wild look in eyes.

 

“You’re the only one,” she had to clench her eyes shut as pleasure came to boiling point, burning away at her skin, “You’ll always be the only one.”

 

Cashmere sat up then and Katniss looked over at her through the fog of her mind.

 

The blonde was glaring at Peeta as he continued thrusting into her.

 

Katniss thought she heard Cashmere snap something like “I guess it’s obvious I’m not actually needed here,” before she stood up from the bed, quickly changing and leaving the room. But the majority of her thoughts were preoccupied with the hurried circling of Peeta’s fingers over her clit, of his cock between her legs.

 

Katniss looked back to Peeta. He lowered her hips to the bed and bent down over her.

 

“Don’t worry, focus on me,” his breath blew across her face.

 

She nodded, voice trapped in her throat. Her eyes flickered between his. His hips slowed into long, measured thrusts. Thrusts that drove the bed into the wall.

 

Peeta caught one of her legs, still wrapped around his waist, and held it against her chest, altering the angle of his thrusts, hitting a sweet spot inside of her.

 

Katniss cried out, “Peeta, you make me feel so – ”

 

He pressed his fingers against her clit, bearing down hard as his pelvis surged against her.

 

“Katniss, you’re amazing,” he panted, “You’re amazing.”

 

The leg still wrapped around his waist drew him in deeper, “I’m almost there.”

 

Peeta responded by thrusting harder, faster, driving her toward euphoria.

 

And then she was bursting, her mind floating somewhere outside her body, watching as Peeta’s thrusts grew erratic and he collapsed on top of her, as he disposed of the condom, watching as her body pulsed with the aftershocks, eyelids fluttered, legs wrapped around Peeta to hold him tight against her skin.

 

He pressed a kiss to her forehead, to her eyelids, cheeks, lips, lips, lips again. He kissed her as he rolled them to their sides, one hand in her hair, one over the curve of her ass.

 

Peeta pulled away, pressing his forehead to hers.

 

Katniss sighed, still catching her breath as she said, “You should probably go after Cashmere, she seemed kind of upset.”

 

His thumb caressed the bare skin of her lower back and for a moment he was silent, the only sound their panting breaths mingling in the space between them.

 

“I don’t want to.”

 

She pulled back, “What?”

 

Peeta looked her in the eye, raising a thumb to trace the cupid’s bow of her lips, “This is where I want to be, with you.”

 

Katniss looked at him, the straight line of his mouth, the slight frown creasing his forehead.

 

“Why?”

 

His frown deepened, but she kept going before he could continue, “You don’t owe me a relationship just because of all… this.”

 

“What? Katniss that’s not why – ”

 

She cut him off, getting up out of the bed, pulling on her panties and t-shirt as she went, “A guy like you should be with a girl like Cashmere, you don’t want – ” she gestured at herself, “this.”

 

He stood too, stalking towards her.

 

“Well it’s true, I want you, and you’re going to have to believe it.”

 

She shook her head, “Stop please, this can’t be real.”

 

Peeta was practically shouting, “It’s real Katniss! It’s been real for a long time but you always just kept running away from me!”

 

“Don’t put this on me! You had a girlfriend this whole time!” She felt tears pooling in the corners of her eyes, “What was I meant to think? Desperate Katniss who can’t even fucking please herself versus glamorous, witty, perfect fucking Cashmere? It’s not even a competition!”

 

His hands came to her shoulders, forcing her to look him in the eye, “Oh my fucking god, you believe that, don’t you? You really believe that you can’t compete with her? That it’s even a competition?”

 

She closed her eyes. He could see the truth she tried to bury deep inside her.

 

“You’re it for me, Katniss. I can feel it in my bones that you’re the one that I want, and it’s got nothing to do with being the first or being the only one but don’t you for a second think that doesn’t make me feel like the bloody king of the world!”

 

His voice quieted to a whisper, “It’s got everything to do with you, how I feel about you.”

 

A tear leaked out of the corner of her eye, down her cheek. He caught it with his thumb.

 

“Don’t cry.”

 

His voice cracked, “Please don’t cry.”

 

Katniss shook her head, “I’m sorry, I just, I can’t.”

 

“Katniss – ”

 

“I can’t.”

 

She pulled away, taking one look at his reddening eyes, and felt more tears leak out of her own.

 

“Not right now, okay?”

 

Peeta swiped at his face, “Okay.”

 

She left then, heart heavy.

 

 

\--

 

 

Oh, she was such a fool.

 


	9. Chapter 9

Classes started two days after that last conversation with Peeta.

 

She’d spent the entire time holed up in room claiming illness and only leaving when she was sure Peeta had left the apartment. He didn’t try knocking, he didn’t stalk into her room declaring endless love… he gave her the space she asked for.

 

While some part of her – probably the part that watched all those Rom Coms with Madge – kind of wanted him to come and claim her, a bigger, sadder, angrier side needed that space and was grateful.

 

She was marathoning episodes of some mindless TV show when Madge came in the second afternoon to whine about the fact that Peeta had broken up with Cashmere – “Now we’ll never get to go on that double date!”

 

Madge frowned as she stared at the laptop screen, “He said they’d always just been casual and though he was totally cool with it... it wasn’t what he wanted anymore.”

 

The blonde sighed resting her chin in her hand, eyes thoughtful, lip caught between teeth, voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, “If you ask me, I think he likes someone else.”

 

Blue eyes flickered to her grey and Katniss tried to brush off the hint of knowing she saw in her friend’s gaze.

 

But she still felt the quickening of her heartbeat, heard the tiny voice that whispered in her ear _“He likes you, he actually likes you.”_

 

-

 

The morning of her first classes she couldn’t avoid him anymore. They ate breakfast together, smiling politely and asking all the generic questions.

 

As she got up to leave, he smiled at her – the quintessential Peeta smile – and it killed her a little inside.

 

“Have a good day, Katniss.”

 

She looked back at him from the door. His hands were shoved in his jean pockets, shoulders hunched.

 

“You too, Peeta.”

 

-

 

During the day, things were sort of normal.

 

Peeta always kept a respectful distance, both in his words and his actions.

 

He’d sit on the chair as she and Madge cuddled on the couch, laughing at all the same scenes in whatever movie they’d chosen.

 

He’d smile and ask how her day was, what she wanted for dinner.

 

But at night Katniss would lie alone in bed, straining to hear the sounds of Peeta on the other side of the wall.

 

She had no desire to touch herself. She tried. But it was all gone, lost in that last breathless, magic moment.

 

She could only ever get to sleep once she heard Peeta’s quiet snores, and only ever for a few hours.

 

Nightmares that she hadn’t had since her childhood, since her father died, came back full force. Katniss would often wake drenched in sweat, throat parched.

 

She’d go for runs with the dawn.

 

Her body ached constantly.

 

She felt like hell, and she thought to herself _‘Why?’_

 

So one night, after almost two weeks of hardly a wink of sleep, she found herself knocking on Peeta Mellark’s door at one in the morning.

 

He looked just as exhausted as she felt.

 

“So I was thinking,” she started, “The best sleeps I ever had were by your side, and the best sex I ever had was with you, and the best I ever felt was when I was around you, not doing any of that stuff, just being with you.”

 

She could see the way he was trying to force himself not to smile.

 

“But we did this kind of backwards and I think maybe, if you went on a date with me, and then maybe a couple more, I might be able to understand why you like me or just be happy about it or whatever, and forgive you for the stupid way you tried to show me,” she was grateful for the dark because a blush was surely fixing itself on her cheeks.

 

“I’m terrible with words and I’m sorry but I guess what I’m trying to say is,” she took a deep breath, “I like you too and I’d really like to give this a go. Properly.”

 

Peeta smiled then, grin so bright that even in the dark it made her heart do weird things in her chest.

 

“Okay.”

 

She smiled back, “Cool.”

 

They stared at each other in the doorway.

 

Katniss hopped back and forth, biting her lip, “Okay I know I said dates and stuff but can I still sleep in your bed?”

 

Peeta laughed, linking her fingers with his, guiding them towards the bed, “Okay but no funny business, Missy!”

 

She tugged at his arm, pulling him back into her. Rising on her tiptoes she pressed one kiss to lips, lingering for a moment as she blinked up at him.

 

“No promises.”

 

\--

 

“Lesson number fifty-one: kitchen benches are the perfect height for sex.”

 

Katniss raised an eyebrow as she stirred the sugar into her tea, “Is that so?”

 

“Mhm, I read it in the manual of how to please your girlfriend,” Peeta nudged her shoulder with his chin, wrapping his arms around her from behind.

 

Glancing up at the clock she grimaced, “Well hot-shot you have approximately ten minutes until I need to leave for class so you better make it quick.”

 

He pressed a kiss to that sensitive spot on her neck, the one that made her legs jelly.

 

“You underestimate my power.”

 

One of his hands pushed her forward so her chest was pressed against the bench, while the other ducked under her skirt.

 

“No panties? My, my, aren’t you naughty,” he said as his fingers quickly found her clit, circling hard and fast just the way she liked.

 

“I had a feeling a certain boyfriend of mine was going to be feeling frisky today.”

 

She heard the sound of a zipper, felt the length of his cock against her arse and moaned.

 

“Then why do you even own underpants?”

 

The back of her skirt lifted and she groaned at the feel of his cock sliding through her wet folds.

 

“Wasn’t it lesson number two? Prolonging the inevitable can make it – ugh, fuck – so much better?”

 

Peeta groaned, “I have taught you well, young grasshopper.”

 

“Fuck off and hurry up.”

 

“Yes, ma’am!”

 

His hips thrust harder, his fingers against her clit trapped against the cabinet.

 

“Fuck Katniss, did I ever thank you for going on the pill? You feel so fucking good on my cock, every inch of you.”

 

She gasped, “Too much talking.”

 

He pivoted, driving into her, bringing them both quickly to the edge.

 

She moved her hand between his fingers and her body, “I love feeling you inside me.”

 

“Fuck Katniss – you drive me insane.”

 

She came as he pinched her clit, and her orgasm milked him of his. He pulled away, tucking himself back into his jeans.

 

Turning around Peeta grabbed a handful of tissues and moved back to where Katniss was still laying flat against the bench, breaths coming out in harsh pants.

 

He wiped between her thighs, clearing away the mix of his semen and her come as it dripped down her legs. Pulling her back into his chest, Peeta placed a tender kiss on her temple.

 

Katniss hummed, closing her eyes and basking in the glow of orgasm. Peeking one eye open she glanced at the clock. With a deep sigh, she turned around to face him, thumb running along the edge of his jaw.

 

“I love you.”

 

Peeta smiled, “I love you, too.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I really enjoyed writing and posting this story, reading your responses. It's been super fun. I hope the ending was satisfactory. Many, many thanks.

**Author's Note:**

> Eternal thanks go to Jessa, for everything. 
> 
> I'm petpeeta on tumblr, so feel free to come hang out.


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